# 1997 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1997 to Wales and its people.

## Incumbents

* Secretary of State for Wales – William Hague (until 3 May); Ron Davies
* Archbishop of Wales – Alwyn Rice Jones, Bishop of St Asaph
* Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Dafydd Rowlands

## Events

* 15 January – Diana, Princess of Wales calls for an international ban on landmines.
* 21 January – Wales child abuse scandal: Over eighty people are named as child abusers in care homes in North Wales.
* March – Launch of the "Welsh Language in Chubut" project.
* 13 March – Launch of the Aberystwyth Centre for the Book.
* 1 May – In the UK general election, four female MPs are elected in Wales -- Julie Morgan, Ann Clwyd, Betty Williams and Jackie Lawrence. Lembit Öpik becomes MP for Montgomeryshire.
* 24 May – Robert Hardy officially opens the Judge's Lodging museum in Presteigne.
* 31 August – Newsreader Martyn Lewis announces the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
* 1 September – The Prince of Wales flies to Paris to bring home the body of his ex-wife. Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones, the only survivor of the crash in which Diana died, remains in a critical condition.
* 6 September – At the funeral of the former Princess of Wales, her coffin is carried into Westminster Abbey by a contingent of Welsh Guards.
* 18 September – The referendum on Welsh devolution results in a narrow "Yes" vote.
* 13 October – First section of the restored Welsh Highland Railway (60 cm (2 ft) gauge) officially opens over 5 km (3 mi) of former standard gauge trackbed between Caernarfon and Dinas.
* date unknown
** Alun Hoddinott receives the Glyndwr Award for an Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Wales.
** Bryn Euryn, an archaeological site near Colwyn Bay, is identified as the probable base of Cynlas Goch, a 6th-century king.
** Cardiff Arms Park is demolished to make way for a new stadium.
** Welsh Sheepdog Society is founded.
** Jenny Pride becomes the first Welsh female to command a unit of the Royal Engineers.

## Arts

* Sir Harry Secombe suffers a stroke.
* October - The Red Violin festival is held for the first time in Cardiff.

### Awards

* Glyndŵr Award – Alun Hoddinott
* National Eisteddfod of Wales – held in Bala
** Chair – Ceri Wyn Jones, "Gwaddol"
** Crown – Cen Williams, "Branwen"
** Prose Medal – Angharad Tomos, Y Canol Llonydd
** Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen – Gwyneth Carey
** Richard Burton Prize – Rhys ap Trefor
* Welsh Arts Council Book of the Year – Iwan Llwyd, Dan Ddylanwad (Under the Influence)

### Books

* Rees Davies – The Revolt of Owain Glyn Dŵr
* Dai Jones – Fi Dai Sy' 'Ma
* Angharad Tomos – Wele'n Gwawrio
* Gerwyn Williams – Cydio’n Dynn

### Music

* L'Héritage des Celtes, featuring Elaine Morgan – Finisterre
* Bryn Terfel makes his debut at La Scala as Figaro.

#### Albums

* Acrimony – Tumuli Shroomaroom
* Manic Street Preachers – Everything Live
* Stereophonics release their first album, Word Gets Around.
* Gorky's Zygotic Mynci – Barafundle
* Iwcs a Doyle – Edrychiad Cynta’

### Film

* Ioan Gruffudd and Bernard Fox appear in the blockbuster Titanic.
* Michael Sheen stars in Wilde.
* Horror film Darklands is filmed in Port Talbot.

## Broadcasting
### English-language television

* Visions of Snowdonia with Iolo Williams

### Welsh-language television

* Ffermio
* Pam Fi Duw? starring Brian Hibbard
* Tylluan Wen starring John Ogwen
* Y Clwb Rygbi

## Sport

* BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Scott Gibbs
* Boxing:
** 11 October – Joe Calzaghe beats Chris Eubank to become the Super Middleweight World Champion.
** 19 December – Barry Jones beats Wilson Palacio to become the WBO Super featherweight Champion.
* Cricket – Glamorgan win the County Championship.

## Births

* 3 January – Joe Morrell, footballer
* 23 January – Shaheen Jafargholi, singer and actor
* 22 March – Harry Wilson, footballer
* 24 March – George Thomas, footballer
* 15 May – Maisie Potter, snowboarder

## Deaths

* January – Alan Taylor, TV presenter, 72
* 10 March – Wilf Wooller, cricketer, rugby player, journalist and sports administrator, 84
* 2 June – Eddie Thomas, boxing champion and manager, 70
* 10 July – Ivor Allchurch, footballer, 67
* 16 July – Ron Berry, writer, 77
* 2 August – Rhydwen Williams, poet, novelist, and minister, 80
* 20 August – Bernard Cowey, Wales international rugby union player, 85
* 30 August – Gwilym Tilsley, poet and archdruid, 86
* 31 August (in Paris) – Diana, Princess of Wales, 36
* 22 September – George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy, former Speaker of the House of Commons, 88
* 6 November – Ray Daniel, footballer, 69
* 13 November – Alexander Cordell, novelist, 83
* 15 November – Alf Day, footballer, 90
* 16 November – Aubrey Edwards, cricketer, 79
* 28 December – Ronnie Williams, actor and comedian, 58
* date unknown
** David Gwerfyl Davies, organist and composer
** Reg Parker, footballer